How can i speed up my computer???

Question

Hey Guys!
I am using a PC with Intel Celeron 1.2 GHz. Processor, 128 MB RAM and running Windows ME on it.
About 2 yrs ago, my system worked very smoothly.
But in the recent, it has started creating troubles like..
1.It has slow down a lot.
2.It hangs very frequently while using internet explorer 6
3.It takes a lot of time or hangs in doing simple tasks like opening my computer, recycle bin, changing wallpapers, switching through one window to another etc.

I have tried many methods including Defragment, formated hard disk.
But all in vain.

So pls help me out how can i make my PC work faster.
Plzz tell some tips, tricks or changing settings in the registry or in Windows or in BIOS anything...
plzz help me out. Im fed up with this machine but can't afford to buy a new one.

Answer 1

I would use a trial version of System Mechanic.



Good luck and i hope this helps!

Answer 2

Windows Millennium Edition pretty much sucks. Try to get Windows 2000, Windows XP, some Linux distribution; just anything else. That's the only and fastest way to bring your computer back in shape.



The second best is stopping using Internet Explorer; use Firefox or Opera instead, and malware will have an harder way into your computer.



If money is a problem, Linux is a solution. KDE or GNOME make use of computer just as simple; you are freed from Internet Explorer too.

Answer 3

Using registry cleaner can fix your computer and then make your computer faster,Why?the reason is that there are some regsitry errors and remnant,corrupt files and temp files in your computer to cause "computer slow".

Everytime you install and uninstall software on your computer and surfing online you create junk in the computer registry.over time, the registry can grow to enormous proportions, especially if the various programs you've installed do not do a good job of deleting and/or updating it's Registry entries.You need to scan and clean your computer with registry cleaner to make it fast.Good Regisry Cleaner will improve your computer and Internet performance dramatically!It even can speed up your computer by 300% or more!

There are some comparison and review of TOP 5 registry cleaners.

http://www.fixslowpc.info

You can download and scan your computer for free.

Answer 4

could be a lot of junk in the internet "cookies" and "history files" as well as if you have a lot of data stored in large folders instead of breaking it up into smaller bite size sub folders.. Use dated or labelled folders for items you save a lot of like pictures



first go to your internet browser and select tools menu then internet options. On the first page is a section to view and delete files. Remember these files are supposed to make your browsing faster by storing the settings you used last time you visited each site.



so if you had quick access numbers for bank cards stored you will have to re-enter them next time you visit. select delete files and WAIT or just go to bed and check it in the morning



if you want to keep that info the program gives you the choice but there could be thousands of cookies after 2 years, just wipe it all and start again its no big deal. then to update each visit instead of saving new cookie each time. dont turn cookies off because some sites dont work without them

Answer 5

My experience with Windows ME was that it couldn't handle ie6. I upgraded to Windows XP and the problem got worse. I think maybe the old computers that had Windows ME which is for all practical purposes Windows 98 simple don't have enough stuff to handle all the new stuff. A newer computer might serve you better and you could get ie7. I gave my old one away.

Answer 6

oki well first things first you want to do a disk defrag this will reorganize all the files in your pc to make it more efficient as over time files fragment over the hard drive makeing it slow down as it has to search for files also your ram might be breaking down here is a progrma to check if its ok http://www.memtest86.com/ go to downloads download the x86 one and burn it to a cd it is a iso file so if useing mero just go to burn image file and thats dun stick it in and test the ram its a bootable disc so will load itself aslong as ur bios is setup like that if ur rams broken then its just a simple buy new sticks and have them put in if you dont no how to do this any pc shop will do it for you



Chris

Answer 7

Do you think you could afford some new RAM? http://www.crucial.com/



A registry optimizer may do you some good. http://www.zoombli.com/products/advancedregistryoptimizer.aspx?



And try clearing your temps in Internet Explorer: Go to tools menu in browser, select internet options and click delete browsing history.

Answer 8

Back up all your pictures and importand doc file , spreadsheets etc...and format and reinstall your OS and then start from scrtach

takes about 2 hours

if u have a ultra high speed DSL connection



I do it every 6 months

Answer 9

Killeen Texas Computer Nerds - Use our nerdhelp sowtware. www.computernerds.net/nerdhelp.exe . Run the diagnostic after you install the software. Use the built in toolbar cop and ccleaner.

Answer 10

unfortunalty windows ME is the worst product that microsoft has ever released but I would suggest getting a bit more RAM 256MB will be much better and if you can get more then thats even better.

Also try easy cleaner http://personal.inet.fi/business/toniarts/ecleane.htm

Answer 11

Go to Start - Run, then type in msconfig, select startup tab, then select Disable All, then computer has to restart. I do this often as many programs put themselves into startup without you knowing.

Answer 12

battery saving..always have it in the charger, light off, nute, etc. and delete useless files and pics and stuff that is a lot to download

Answer 13

FIRST you need more memory...then try some of the things Anish D suggested

Answer 14

copy all the files u want to save to some other partition re install os ...this may solve the problem

Answer 15

CLEAN UP:



DISK CLEAN:



XP:



start--all programs--accessories--system tools--disk clean

select os ( c )--select ok after scan--select delete--ok



Vista:



control panel--performance information & tools--select drive ( c )--click ok--click ok on disk cleanup for os ( c )--click delete files



do this [ disk clean ] weekly



disk defrag:



XP:



start--all programs--accessories--system tools--disk defrag

click analyze--click defrag



Vista:



control panel--performance information & tools--advanced tools--open disk defragmenter--click defrag now



do monthly



XP/Vista:



temp files:



internet options--general--history [ delete--temp files [ delete ]



Cookies:



don't just delete them ! MANAGE them !

http://cookiemanage.diaryland.com



EMPTY PREFETCH FOLDER:



XP/VISTA:

my computer/computer--local disk drive ( c )--windows--prefetch

click view--press delete key on keyboard

monthly



get Ccleaner to clean up deleteable files and registry seeker to manage your start up programs. disable those programs you don't need at start up.

DO NOT DISABLE:

Anti-Virus

Anti-Spyware

Firewall



things like regseeker,ccleaner,spybot,those you can disable.



http://browseraddons.friendpages.com



Manage Start Up Programs:



Vista:



control panel--performance information & tools

manage start up programs

click program

click remove



XP:



windows key + letter R

enter--msconfig

select startup tab

uncheck the program to stop starting with windows

when the "you have customized" dialog box comes up later,check don't show again or it will haunt you !



Faster Icon Loads



XP:

start--my computer--local disk drive ( c )--tools--folder options--view

uncheck auto search for network folders/printers



Vista:

start--computer--local disk drive ( c )--organize--folder and search options--view--

Click the View tab, and then select the Always show icons, never thumbnails check box.

Always show static icons of files and never show thumbnail previews of files. Use this setting if the thumbnail previews are slowing down your computer. You'll get better performance by using static icons.



Click the View tab, and then clear the Show preview handlers in preview pane check box.

Never show the contents of files in the Preview pane. Use this setting to improve the performance of your computer, or if you don't want to use the Preview pane.



XP:



right click your connection--select properties--select networking--check print/file sharing

click uninstall



in internet explorer's connections tab:

under options: check include windows domaim



control panel--phone & modem options--modems--properties--advanced--initialization text box enter

at&fx

just as is

Answer 16

you can try deleting some files you don't need

Answer 17

Try the following links, it might helps:



http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,115630-c,xp/article.html



http://pcpitstop.com/



http://www.majorgeeks.com/CoffeeCup_PC_TuneUp_Pro_d4285.html

Answer 18

you need to give it red bull and give it something to run away from.

Answer 19

Try the following free softwares to rid yourself of malware:



I prefer Avast, but AVG is just as great.



AVG AntiVirus

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1



Avast Home Antivirus

http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-...



You may also want some other tools to run and use as well



SpywareBlaster

http://www.download.com/spywareblaster/3...



Spybot S&D

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirro...



AVG AntiSpyware

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/20/lng/us/tp...



Adaware (Lavasoft)

http://www.download.com/ad-aware-2007-fr...



If you are currently having a problem:



◙ Download and install AVG. Use it first and see if it finds any viruses or trojans.



☞ http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1



◙ After running AVG go here and run this virus scanner online. There is no need to install it on your computer.



http://housecall.trendmicro.com/...........



◙ Microsoft's New Live Safety Center. Download this scanner to check and remove spyware, viruses, get rid of obsolete files and junk off your computer, and improve your PCs performance.



☞ http://safety.live.com/site/en-us/defaul...



◙ The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool checks computers running Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows Server 2003 for infections by specific, prevalent malicious software—including Blaster, Sasser, and Mydoom—and helps remove any infection found. When the detection and removal process is complete, the tool displays a report describing the outcome, including which, if any, malicious software was detected and removed. You can run this tool online FREE.



http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/detai...



◙ Before downloading email attachments in Gmail and Yahoo Mail click on the link that says, "Scan With Norton Antivirus".



◙ Before downloading any software from the internet type it into http://groups.google.com/ to see if that title is known for spyware or viruses. Google Groups has over 1 billion posts spanning 25 years to help you. Even after checking it there ALWAYS scan it before opening it. You just can't be too careful. -- Smart Computing Magazine



◙ A lot of the download sites like http://www.download.com/ and http://www.tucows.com/ scan software before releasing it to the public. But just for safety sake you should still scan it yourself.



◙ Here is a really great article on browser hijacking. This will show you how to get rid of it. There is a tutorial and software to get rid of part of it. You'll need to make some changes to your computer's registry to get rid of the rest of it. Click on the chatroom link on their main page if you need help.



☞ http://www.spywareinfo.com/articles/hija...



◙ Here is Yahoo!'s Internet Security section.



☞ http://security.yahoo.com/



◙ Below is Mcafee's Site Adviser. Type in a URL in the form here and you will find out if the site you want to go to is known for phising (getting your personal info under false pretenses), viruses, spyware, and many other things. You can use the tool on their site or download an program to do that.



☞ http://www.siteadvisor.com/



◙ Get more information at these PC Magazine Web sites.



☞ http://www.pcmag.com/

☞ http://www.smartcomputing.com/



◙ Top 100 Computer & Software Magazines.



☞ http://netvalley.com/top100mag.html........



★★ TOOLS FOR SPECIFIC VIRUSES & TIPS ★★



◙ Sometimes you'll get a particularly nasty virus that cannot be removed with conventional tools. For times like these you can (quite often not always) download a removal tool for that specific virus. Below are some sites you should look at.



☞ http://www.grisoft.com/doc/utilities/ing...

☞ http://www.symantec.com/security_respons...

☞ http://www.bitdefender.com/site/download...



◙ Below is a tool called "Stinger" that Mcafee put together with all 54 of it's tools in it.



☞ http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/............



◙ GLOBAL VIRUS ALERT -- The latest virus outbreak alerts from F-Secure, Trend Micro, Panda, and Sophos. Each anti-virus fighter is reporting the state of the Virus Battles on its front, which reflects a unique customer and geographic profile.



☞ http://www.trimmail.com/news/tools/#glob...



◙ Add free virus alerts to your web site.



☞ http://www.trendmicro.com/syndication/vi...

For Trojans try these ( free to try),

http://www.ewido.net/en/

Or

http://www.misec.net/trojanhunter/.........

Or

http://www.agnitum.com/products/tauscan/...





And always scan once a week with these free and trusted scanners as well if you go to gaming sites and porn and etc.

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/...........

http://www.webroot.com/freescan............

http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner......

http://www.pandasoftware.com/products/ac...

http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virus...

http://www.bitdefender.com/



First, you need anti-virus software - download, install and update AVG anti-virus (it's free for personal use) - you can find it here - http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1



Then remove your System Restore points (viruses love to hide in the System Restore files), but be aware that if you do remove your existing Restore Points you will not be able to "roll back" your computer to a previous configuration. To find out how to disable System Restore see this page - http://www.pchell.com/virus/systemrestor...



Just to be sure you don't have other malware on your computer I recommend that you download SpyBot Search & Destroy and Adware - both are free spyware/adware detection and removal software.



Next, start the computer in Safe Mode - (as the comptuer is starting up, keep tapping the F8 key on your keyboard until you see a special start-up menu) - more on how to start in Safe Mode here - http://www.microsoft.com/resources/docum...



Using AVG - run a full system virus scan while in Safe Mode



After the viruses have been detected and removed, run SpyBot and AdAware (full system scans) then restart the comptuer, enable System Restore again and enjoy a virus-free computing experience.



If the problems are still there, try using MSCONFIG to help figure out how to manually disable the Trojan from starting up - see more about MSCONFIG here - http://netsquirrel.com/msconfig/...........



To help protect against malware you should install a firewall, Zone Alarm works perfectly well and is free – http://www.zonealarm.com/store/content/c...



Also, don't forget to keep Windows up-to-date - using Microsoft Windows Update!



After following these instructions go to: http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/must-read... they will help you for free, no credit card or personal information needed, and they will analyze Hijack This logs for you, to make sure that your computer is safe. HijackThis helps If persistent spyware is bogging down your computer, you might need HijackThis. The tiny program examines vulnerable or suspect parts of your system, such as browser helper objects and certain types of Registry keys. Pressing the Scan button generates a log of dozens of items, most of which are just customizations. Don't check off an item and hit the Fix checked button unless you're sure it's malware. Clicking Info on selected item tells you why the entry was flagged as suspicious, but not whether it's actually malware. To find that out, search the Web for that item's name or go straight to a forum, such as SpywareInfo or Computer Cops. Saving the log creates a text document you can post to these forums.



The latest version adds powerful tools to the Config window. The process manager and hosts file editor help you excise virulent infections. The unique ADS Spy tool scans for alternate data streams, which some browser hijackers use to hide from spyware removers. The program still installs into whatever directory in which you unzip the file, which can make it hard to locate. HijackThis is a serious tool for any user who needs to root out a serious infestation, but wield it with caution. So, go to the site I gave you above, and they'll help you step by step.

Free registry cleaners:

CCleaner does not specialise in cleaning the registry, it's mostly used to speed up your computer by cleaning up your recycle bin, temp files/internet files, browsing history, application errors, log files and so on.. which frees up some space in your harddisk





I've tried these 10 free cleaners

http://www.regsofts.com/freeware/freereg...

I would recommend the following(click on the webpage and follow):



Free Windows Registry Repair(first one) - rather effective, the first scan i did after about a year showed over 500 problems with the registry, fixed them all



RegSeeker(2nd one) - fixed another 300 problems after using the previous one.



and like the two of them said, Eusing Free Registry Cleaner and Abexo Free Registry Cleaner(30 day trial)



Just run them all that'll fix most problems! But dont expect 100% fixes because programs might recreate registry entries when used and so a second scan might still show the same few errors. (ignore such errors)







those are all freeware, hope i'm of some help



Good Luck!



P.S. First go to: http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/defau... Choose full service scan and let it install any active x components